Time After Time
by suliel
Summary: Going back in time and saving the world, now Cloud is forced to face another challenge - after all said and done, he needs to adjust to his new place in life and new realtionships; even one he never would have imagined to have. CloudxSephiroth, slash, explicitness in later chapters.
1. First, Dance

**Hi dear readers! I'm back with a new story, and this time it's a Sephiroth/Cloud slash! First I need to state some background info which is super useful to know what happens here. **

**This story was inspired by Sinnatious's The Fifth Act, more precisely a sidestory they did to it (available on their LJ page, go and read it cause it's awesome). Go read The Fifth Act if you haven't yet, anyway. It isn't necessary for understanding my fic but who wouldn't want to read such a gem? :D BTW I got permission because Sinnatious is nice like that :)**

**For those who haven't read yet, my story takes place in a time-travel fic where Cloud goes back in time to save the day, and it's set after everything is said and done, and he starts a new life kinda-sorta in Shinra. The focus is entirely on the relationship between Sephiroth and Cloud. ****I don't plan getting into the throwing over Shinra from the inside storyline, not that I wouldn't love that, but that's for another time; neither their everything life. It will be a loose string of scenes of their interactions with each other, and the developement of their relationship. It will contain explicit sexual scenes too. **

******Updates unfortunately will be very sparse as it's a pet project for me to do when I want to write it, I have no draft or schedule for it. I hope you still be interested in it! Orz**

******The Beta is still the wonderful Bjanik who I own an eternal gratitude.**

******Special thanks to White Mage Koorii for helping me out with the title! :)**

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**1. First, dance**

First, they were enemies.

At least in his head they were, for the longest time. He feared him. He hated him for all he did, for all the sins he hadn't yet committed but _would_. Then he saw him, and felt sympathy for the man he was, and felt guilt. He was committed to do anything needed, though. To save _everyone_, he hadn't thought himself capable of that. But he had done the unimaginable and changed the past, changed it completely, and so changed their future.

And so it happened they became friends. For a while, it was hard, strange, awkward even. He couldn't help the instinctive flinch of his hand – reaching for his sword – when Sephiroth startled him. Couldn't help the increasing of his heartbeat when he suddenly ran into Sephiroth. It always left him feeling slightly ashamed and apologetic as he felt that he should have done a better job sorting out his messed up timelines. _This_ Sephiroth wasn't a threat. He mumbled a half-audible sorry every time and Sephiroth just watched, nodded, looking completely indifferent. It made Cloud wonder on several occasions just how did the man think about the other, _the original_, events? Sephiroth himself admitted once that he found that outcome plausible under different circumstances. That made Cloud both amazed and extremely uncomfortable. How did one come to terms with the possibility of going insane and trying to destroy the world? Even with the original triggers eliminated, did he not fear himself? Where did that trust come from? Maybe that was just him, feeling himself still a threat. Or Cloud was thinking too deep into things again; it wouldn't be the first time either.

It didn't help his instinctive reactions to Sephiroth's presence though. When the same thing happened the umpteenth time, to Cloud's visible perplexity, Sephiroth just made a small "hmmph" sound and rolled his eyes. Besides making him think that maybe Sephiroth accepted all the strangeness of his life rather easily – (or was it resignation?); it also made Cloud quite stupefied. Sephiroth, rolling his eyes at him? That wasn't adding up with the image he had in his mind even with all the new adjustments he had done.

The easiest part definitely was becoming sparring partners. They were nearly equal in strength without using limit breaks, but both of them tried very hard to be cautious with that. Their limits were way too lethal to use in friendly spars, and if one of them forgot himself in the heat of the battle, the other immediately stepped away. Sephiroth learned the hard way the result of rivalry, even if it didn't end in tragedy _now_. As for Cloud, every time he forgot he wasn't fighting for his life – which happened quite a few times at the beginning, - he was pulled out of it by seeing the _human, sane_ expression on Sephiroth's face. Every time it was a little stitch to the fabric of his torn timelines, a thread to hold himself in the present and separate the other past further and further away from him. He didn't speak about how knowing for sure that he could overpower the other should the need arise made him feel safe, though. On the other hand, he had no idea how Sephiroth felt about not being the strongest. Did it affect his pride? Did it matter to him at all? While Cloud was certainly piqued to know, that wasn't a question he could have said out loud, ever.

During their spars he soon realized how liberating it was to find someone equally strong. It never occurred to him before how much he felt he had to protect everyone. It never was a burden to him; it was a need, to never lose anybody again. But Sephiroth, he didn't need protection. They were on equal standing, an unfamiliar feeling which soon proved to be quite addictive.

Then there was the connection, too. No matter how much Cloud didn't want to admit it, didn't even want to think about it, their Jenova-cells provided a link between them at a cellular level. As it was an issue they needed to address, after the crisis was over and things settled, they did some careful experimenting with it. Taking every precaution they could think of, they probed the connection, slowly, warily, to try its limits. It was unsettling and hard as hell to allow even the tiniest bit of Sephiroth near his mind (_inside_, he gritted his teeth, inside his mind); but in the long run it reassured him. Apparently, without the effect of Sephiroth immersing in a pool of mako and merging with Jenova's head in the process, the cells served only a general connection. A compass, as Zack once jokingly said. On rare occasions, in intense emotional states it happened that a flash of foreign emotions washed over them. But that was nowhere near the oppression of being controlled that Cloud perfectly remembered in his nightmares. He wasn't a puppet anymore and with Jenova destroyed, this man could never be the puppet master again. He was finally safe, and finding it out was even worth the irritating feeling of Sephiroth's presence in his mind.

But then there was the attraction too, and that left Cloud strangely vexed. It was a long time before he admitted at least to himself that what he was feeling was indeed physical attraction. It was easy to miss it first, to attribute to the thrill of battle the deeper breaths, the heat increasing in his stomach, the blood surging in his veins. Same as with the alertness, the focus on the other which made everything besides Sephiroth blur colorless into the background. But after their sparring sessions ended and they stood with lowered swords and slightly flushed from hours of exercise, relaxed and refreshed at the same time, he couldn't write off the strange pull he felt, the inclination to step closer, closer until he could feel on his skin, could breath in the heat and presence of the man,_ and what a presence he had_. He found himself absentmindedly tracing Sephiroth's jawline with his eyes, his hand almost, _almost _lifting on its own to touch. He sucked in a deep breath and turned his back then; confusion raging in him. How could he be attracted to _Sephiroth _of all people?

And it got worse when he noticed the way _Sephiroth _watched _him_. Intent, watchful, contemplating. Burning, at times. Calculating at others but following him all the time. Weeks, even months of this evasive observing continued without Sephiroth making any advances or retreats, always maintaining the same maddening cautious distance. Cloud understood it. Maybe understood it even better than the man itself. Sephiroth wasn't one to be indecisive but he could be extremely cautious in unfamiliar circumstances (if it didn't involve war in some way); gathering information before choosing how to act. The art of initiating human relationships was one such uncertain thing for him, that was clear of all Cloud knew about him. All the same, he wasn't the most adept person either when dealing with others, and this situation simply frayed his nerves.

And Cloud wasn't one to take frustration well. At least not if it involved Sephiroth.

So when the next time they sparred and that same look appeared in Sephiroth's eyes - intense, cautious, _yearning _- Cloud literally felt something snap inside him.

A sudden seriousness gave him the boost he needed, and maybe Sephiroth still wasn't completely prepared to face someone potentially stronger than him. Cloud got the upper hand of their fight with a quick maneuver and managed to knock Sephiroth off balance straight onto the floor. In an instant he knelt over him, immobilizing him while the man was still surprised by the sudden change of Cloud's behavior. He stabbed the remade Fusion Sword (this time it was regular steel instead of the remains of the Weapon) into the ground next to Sephiroth's head and grabbed him by the collar of his coat. He glared at the man for a moment, the irritation clear by the set of his brows, by the blue of his eyes darkening to a deeper shade; then he leaned down and kissed him. It was more teeth than romance; hard, furious, and heated.

"With you," Cloud's voice was thick with hardly identifiable emotions, "I've learned to take the initiative. Attack before you can." The breath hissed in his throat. "Don't mess with me, Sephiroth. I know you better than you yourself."

Cloud stood up still frowning, and stormed out of the training room, leaving even his sword and an utterly bewildered Sephiroth behind. He rose up to his elbows, staring at the door where Cloud had left like a passing storm. He remained there for a considerable amount of time before falling back onto his back with a small sigh. He had to admit to himself, never in his life he felt more baffled than when trying to deal with Cloud Strife.


	2. Then, Take a Step Forward

**Mature content warning - explicit sex scene! Enjoy the read :)**

**Betaed by Bjanik.**

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** 2. Then, Take a Step Forward**

While the soft but steady knock on his door was far from being unexpected, it wasn't something he awaited either. Cloud sat up from where he lay sprawled on his bed and glowered menacingly at the direction of the door, rather hoping the presence he felt behind it would vanish and leave him alone. At the same time he knew it was cowardice on his part; after this afternoon he couldn't just run and hide. Not that he could have hidden from Sephiroth anyway, with their connection by the J-cells, but he had promised once he wouldn't run away again. And he owed Sephiroth at least that much after practically assaulting him.

Not that his irritation wasn't legitimate, but still.

He rose from the bed, not bothering to turn the lights on or searching for slippers, the cold from the tiles being only a minor annoyance in face of some major ones.

The knock didn't repeat but he knew Sephiroth stood out there, waiting for him to open the door. He sighed; it was inevitable. Steeling himself against the urge to really, really just pretend to be asleep, he reached for the doorknob and opened it. He didn't step aside, though. In front of him, as expected, stood Sephiroth, dressed in his usual after-work style – changing his long leather coat to a black shirt - with a politely neutral expression. And the Fusion Sword held casually in one hand, point down, the handle offered for Cloud to take it. Cloud couldn't help but stare at the contrast of the heavy weapon to the ungloved hand, the expression of muscles on that long forearm under flawless, pale skin, the involuntary display of strength simply by the way he held that monster of a sword - easy, steady, without the slightest tremor of muscles. Just like Cloud did. He always knew Sephiroth's strength, had learned it in merciless life-or-death battles _before_, and in this timeline too. But just seeing it in a peaceful setting… it made him think something like the beauty of it.

He frowned.

Sephiroth still stood there, no sign of impatience on his face or posture, but behind the guarded neutrality of his eyes Cloud perceived the usual, intent watchfulness. He sighed, took the handle and turned away, looking about for a handy place to set his sword. Its normal home was in his bedroom, never more than an arm's length away, but... yeah. Not going in there. After a moment, he shrugged and leaned it against the wall.

"Thanks," he murmured. He didn't turn back.

"May I come in?" Sephiroth's voice held the same polite, neutral tone as his whole appearance. Still, it felt like a deep, dark wave rolling against Cloud. He shivered, then nodded, his back still to Sephiroth who silently stepped into the small apartment and closed the door behind him. Dim greyness enveloped the room as the lights from the corridor were shut out, the closed curtains effectively blocking most of the night-time glow of Midgar.

Then Cloud finally turned to Sephiroth. They didn't speak, just stood there face to face, a step away from each other, watching, waiting. Maybe for the other to take that step? Cloud didn't know. He felt himself still frowning, mute, unable to move, with tense muscles, coiled as an animal in hostile territory. He watched Sephiroth, his elegant posture - always looking like a cat ready for a lunge - his carefully kept distance, his intent, searching gaze. His fine features, the line of his jaw, thin lips curving slightly even when not smiling, the perfect shape of his nose, eyebrows arching up to emphasize those strange cat-like eyes with their oh-so human expression of _want_.

He couldn't tell which of them broke their stalemate but suddenly they were close, closer still, pressed up to each other, all warm, wet lips and tongues sliding and tasting and invading each other, the heat engulfing them and rising steadily. Their hands searched for purchase wherever they could, grabbing shoulders and neck, entwining in long silky trails of hair, cupping and caressing cheeks. They didn't break apart even for taking hard, panting breaths, but rather inhaled the heavy, hot air from each other's mouth, their scents mixing together and filling his mind with a strange combination of dizziness and intent focus.

Cloud found himself pressed against the wall, strong, long hands roaming his body. He was acutely aware of every open palmed caress, every single touch of those calloused fingers, every nib and lick and bite, every taste and texture of Sephiroth's mouth, the flexing of muscles under his own hands, the heat of their bodies, the feeling of their erections pressing together, the slow, involuntary rolling of their hips to get more friction, more sensation out of the contact.

Suddenly their clothes were very much in the way and they hurried to be rid of them. They brushed away shirts to reach more skin, fumbled with pants buttons while their mouths were trailing wet paths from necks to nipples, biting dark patterns into the sensitive flesh of shoulders. Cloud hissed when his straining erection was finally freed from the confines of his shorts; a sharp intake of breath turning into a low moan when long fingers encircled the hard, hot flesh. He ran one of his hands through Sephiroth's hair, grabbing a fistful and yanking him forward for another kiss while the other trailed down over hard, defined muscles and silky smooth skin until reaching his long, erect member. He squeezed; Sephiroth let out a deep rumbling groan and reached out to caress Cloud's tense sac with smooth fingertips while his thumb remained at the base of Cloud's cock, massaging it. Cloud breathed a little muffled noise into Sephiroth's mouth and his knees buckled with the sudden onslaught of sensations. They slowly slid down to the floor, sitting with entangled limbs, all the while maintaining the rhythmic movements of their hands. They both felt it wouldn't last much longer; this frantic want, _need_ demanded fulfillment, and it demanded it _soon_. The breath came to them in quick, harsh gasps. They leaned onto each other, brow touching brow, hands clutching hair and caressing the fine strands at the back of their neck, while their other hands circled and massaged, squeezed and caressed. Cloud felt the heat inside him rise steadily until finally it peaked into pure white light in his mind, filling him up to the point of breaking then releasing with such a rapture that it left him gasping for air. He felt through the haze of fulfillment Sephiroth following him straight into release. They remained there, entangled for long minutes, sitting on the floor, not heeding the cold in the least, still softly caressing flagging members. Trembling fingers clutched at the back of their necks, pressing their foreheads together while aftershocks of pleasure ran through them with small shudders and the tiniest moaning sounds escaped their parted lips.

Grasping hands turned to gentle, absentminded caresses while their breathing evened out. Cloud leaned his head on a slightly sweaty shoulder, sighing softly, inhaling the smell of the man. One of his hands trailed light patterns on Sephiroth's side, over finely toned muscles and vertebrae while his other hand moved to Sephiroth's face, caressing it and carding through mussed up hair in turn. He felt the same touch on the back of his head and neck, somewhere between idly stroking and slightly trembling – in exhaustion? In awe?

Cloud felt that maybe he should be confused or embarrassed, but couldn't find any trace of either in himself. Even though he had the strong tendency to overthink and second-guess; even though he just had a sexual encounter with _Sephiroth_ _of all people_; even though he spent the last few months strung up over it – he felt nothing but rightness. He felt calm, relaxed and quite satisfied; even upbeat. It all felt natural, Sephiroth's touch, his smell, his body slightly heating up the air between them, his presence. It felt _good_.

Semen drying on his thighs not so much.

With a soft sigh he untangled from the embrace of long limbs and long hair and stood up fluidly. He stretched his back a bit, enjoying the flow of strength in his muscles. He reached a hand down to Sephiroth, who sat with his back leaning against the wall, and helped him up. Sephiroth looked down at him, as if contemplating some question, but Cloud couldn't bring himself to worry about that. He looked back with clear, unwavering eyes, maybe with a hint of smile too. He reached up, kissed Sephiroth with an echo of the previous flames until the unsure look of the man's eyes turned relaxed, then proceeded toward the bathroom to clean up.

Refreshed and clean, dressed in clean pants and shirt, Cloud wondered what was supposed to be the next step. It was lucky they didn't dirty Sephiroth's clothes; he wouldn't have anything that would fit the man. He looked around his small, standard apartment, hunting for any hint what to do or say, eyes sweeping past Sephiroth who stood near the kitchen door, looking around as if still a bit lost. At least Cloud could decode this body language as unsure and curious; when comfortable, the man usually leaned back at a wall (or desk) with his arms crossed. And with a bit less blank expression. As much of an amusement as it was to Cloud to see Sephiroth flustered, he started to get a bit self-conscious himself. He needed distraction, and needed it soon. Right, the kitchen door.

"Coffee?"

Green eyes snapped to attention, focused more intently on him than that simple question should account for. Cloud looked back, unwavering, the relaxed feeling of rightness still pervading him.

"Tea, if I may," Sephiroth answered, and Cloud fought back the urge to chuckle at the man's formality. Even more formal than usual. A small, wicked part of him found immense amusement in Sephiroth's reaction. Maybe he should try to tease him more. In the end he decided against it, and gave Sephiroth his tea with just a smile. An easy, companionable silence settled between them as they sipped their drinks. It was not much different from their weekly time with their friends, or rather, without Zack or Genesis present, it _was_ significantly more silent. They sat at the table as if it were the most natural thing, and Cloud couldn't even bring himself to wonder too much about it.

He didn't remember feeling this much at peace for a long time, nowhere besides at Aerith's church. He smiled at Sephiroth through his mug, just his eyes lightening up, but Sephiroth caught it all the same. His eyes, always a bit hard to read with his cat-like pupils, reflected the same contentment Cloud felt.

After a while Sephiroth stood up, and excused himself for the night. Cloud saw him to the door, slightly relieved that Sephiroth didn't plan to stay the night – regardless of what passed between them, sharing his sleep wasn't something Cloud felt himself ready for. It was Sephiroth who leaned in for a kiss now, and Cloud felt the aftertaste of green tea for long after in his mouth.


End file.
